Magic and Realism in Latin American Fiction

Catalog description

When Latin American writers burst onto the world stage in the 1960s, they dazzled readers with works that merged formal experimentation with local traditions. Soon the “magic realism” that made Rulfo, García Márquez, and Allende famous became synonymous with Latin America. But what began as a new literary sensibility quickly became a marketing label—and, for some, a straitjacket. Was magic realism just a way to sell a colorful cliché to readers in Europe and North America? In this introduction to Latin American fiction, we will study the rise and legacy of magic realism, along with some of the many alternatives that preceded and responded to it. We will study major figures from the 1930s to today to explore how they understood literature’s political stakes and the writer’s responsibility to history. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: Humanities Introductory Elective.